MONTROSE — Newly released court records show the 7th Judicial District’s top prosecutor allegedly made a habit of exposing himself to, and requesting sexual favors from, some of the women who worked in his office.

District Attorney Myrl Serra also allegedly used the threat of job loss or damage to reputations when trying to coerce employees into sexual favors, according to search warrant affidavits and an affidavit in support of Serra’s arrest on Sept. 30.

Serra, 48, is charged with felony unlawful sexual contact, felony criminal extortion and five misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and unlawful sexual contact. He has denied the allegations.

The three alleged female victims in the case, all employees of the prosecutor’s office, described for investigators with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation how Serra would ask, “What will you give me?” when they requested time off or to leave work early.

One employee claimed that Serra asked her to come into his office, exposed himself and grabbed her hand to force her to touch his penis. That victim told agents she left the room and immediately told a co-worker what happened. She also took a photo of the scratches on her hand and turned that over to agents.

Another employee said Serra brought her into his office, closed the blinds and told her, “You need to help a guy out,” before exposing himself and putting her hand on his penis. She said out of fear of losing her job and other possible punishment from Serra, she masturbated him 25 to 35 times at the office from late 2007 until several weeks before Serra was arrested.

On one occasion, she said, he walked toward her, unzipping his pants and asking, “How well do you like your job?”

She told agents she felt as if she was being “held hostage” by Serra.

The evidence agents gathered included overtly sexual text messages that Serra allegedly sent to at least one of the women and semen from two desks and carpet areas in Serra’s office at the Montrose Justice Center. Agents obtained a warrant to collect a DNA swab from Serra. They are awaiting the results of DNA testing to see whether there is a match.

The investigation of Serra began when a male investigator working for Serra reported to a CBI agent that he had witnessed Serra sending an inappropriate sexual text message.

While the CBI agent was in the district attorney’s satellite office in Delta looking into that matter, a female employee approached him and told him Serra had acted inappropriately toward her at a social gathering. She said her experience wasn’t as bad as what some other employees had been subjected to, and she gave the agent three employees’ names.

In separate interviews, the women gave agents similar stories. Other employees corroborated at least one victim’s account or described lesser types of alleged sexual harassment from Serra.

Serra’s attorney, Colin Bresee, said the allegations are a “he said/she said case.” Bresee said he has not seen any physical evidence and that there are inconsistencies between the affidavits and the charging document when it comes to dates and some details.

Serra began working in the 7th Judicial District attorney’s office in 1999 as a deputy. He was appointed district attorney in 2006 and ran unopposed in 2008. He still holds the title of district attorney but his office has been taken over by the Colorado attorney general’s office until his case is resolved.